Check protector



July zl, 1931. v, s v Y 1,815,076

CHECK PROTECTOR Filed Dec. 18, 1928 INVENTOR.

6 BY? r? 9 0W al I Patented July 21, 193T UNITE STATES inane PATENT FFEE VICTOR H. SEVERY, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA CHECK PROTECTOR This invention relates to a perforating device for perforating checks to render the operations of a forger more dificult. Heretofore such protectors: have been employed embodying two plates which are hinged together at one edge and formed on their adjacent faces with teeth that co-operate together to emboss the paper. The teeth of these dies must be sharp and it has been the custom to produce the teeth from a solid plate by a milling operation. This operation is relatively costly as a shop operation and, furthermore, when such a protector is used, it requires considerable force applied to the dies to emboss the paper sufficiently to make the protection effective. Furthermore, where the entire area of the die comes into action at once, it is necessary that the dies have sufficient thickness to render them rigid. This increases the weight of the device and is objectionable particularly where the device is intended to be used as an attachment for a check book.

The general object of this invention is to produce a serviceable protector which can be formed by a stamping operation and constructed of relatively light or thin plate, and at the same time to give the protector a construction which will enable it to operate cffectively to perforate the check at the desired point. To this end one of the objects of the invention is to construct the protector with a number of rows of teeth for embossing or puncturing the paper that constitutes the check, and which in use will operate to come into action in succession. In this way a very slight force is necessary to effect the puncturing by each row, but when, however, the actuating movement of the protector is completed, a considerable area of the check will have been perforated or embossed.

A further object of the invention is to construct the protector so that it can be readily secured to a check-book in a position for immediate use and to provide the same with means for holding it in a compact closed or folded position on the book.

Further objects of the invention will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the novel parts and combinations of parts to be described hereinafter, all of which contribute to produce an etiicient check protector.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is described in the following specification, while the broad scope of the invention is pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a perspective of a check-book and illustrating a device embodying my invention in position to be used to perforate the check.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section through the perforator showing the same removed from the check-book and in its folded relation.

Figure 3 is a section illustrating one of my protectors in its open position and illustrating another embodiment of the invention.

Figure a is a detailed view showing a fragment of the perforating die upon an enlarged scale.

Figure 5 is a vertical sect-ion through the perforating die taken on the line 55 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is an edge view of the fragment of the perforating die illustrating Figure 4:-

Before proceeding to a detailed description of the device, it should be stated that the device is constructed so that it presents two plates connected together at an edge either by a resilient bow or a hinge connection.

The device is constructed so that one of these plates presents a convex face toward the other plate, and one of the plates carries a die disposed transversely across the plate on a line substantially parallel with the attached edge of the plate. In this way when a check is held between the plates and pressure is exerted upon the free edge of the third plate, the dies will commence to operate on the paper toward one edge of the die along the contact line, and this contact line will move progressively toward the free edge of the plate. In this way the rows of the perforating teeth will be brought into operation in successlon.

The puncturing or embossing teeth may be formed in any suitable way. For example,

the teeth may be formed by pressure or they is depressed in may be milled or formed by knurling the face of the plate.

Referring more particularly to the embodiment of the invention illustrated, 1 represents a check-book of common form, such as may be readily carried in ones pocket. My protector 2 is adapted to be formed of a thin gp iece oflsheet metal and a'compr ises a base-plate 3 and a die-plate 4, the said plates being connected together preferably by a resilient bow 5 integral with' the plates. If desired, a hinge connection may be employed at the point 5 as will be explained here nafter.

The plate 4t is resilient and is constructed so that when unn ined it will operat-e to support itself ina raised position away from the base plate asill trated in Figure .1, and so that it presents its conven'side toward the base-plate. The perforat' g plate i may carry .a die-plate, but preferably formed with a die v6 constructed an integral part of the perforating plate. This :die 6 preferably consists of a plurality of rows 2' of teeth'Stl are struck down from theplate 4. by die, and :these teeth are formed preferably of triangular shape (see Figure 6 so that they :present a sharp point 9 at 'their lower end. The die 6 mayextend completely toss the perforating plate or, if desired extend only a part way across.

The diase plate is preferably provided with means, such as platen 10, of relatively soft material to cooperate with the teeth 8 to puncture 'the paper of the check 11 :laid .in the protector. In using .the=.device,1the 'free edge 12 of the perforating plate is pressed downwardly against the check lying 'on a support. such as a table. When this edge this way the teeth 8 will cooperate w n the {platen to form-a succession-of rows'of small openings or perforations in'theunaterial ofthe'oheck. Ifdesired, the base-plate 3 may be offset downwardly to "form .=a shallow pocket 13 'to receive the platen.

.If the material of the protector is very thin,to give it the-desirable quality'o-flight ness I :prefer :toemploy -means, such as .integra'l ribs 1d, formed near the :freeedge 12 of the perforating plate and extending inwardly toward the attached edge .01 bow 5. These zllbS give this portion of the plate rigidityand make the action of the curved portion :in biting through the paper :more

efiective.

Figure 3 illustrates a slightmodification of the invention and illustrates the relation of the parts when the protector is in its open position. Inf-this construction the plates are connected by a hinge-joint 15, and also :in this embodiment of the invention instead of employinga platen lO of-softmaterial, I may form a platen 16by providing perforations 17 in amaterial;ofithe .base-plate'to cooperate with corresponding individuals of the teeth 18 in the perforating plate.

If des' ed, this platen 16 may be raised somewhat by offsetting the material of the base-plate upwardly.

it is obvious also that this type of platen could of course be used with theembodiment .the invention shown in Figure 2, but if great accuracy is necessary for the registering of the teeth with the openings 17, this registering would naturally be superior if used with a positive hinge-joint rather than with a bow-joint 5 which might tend to spring out of its proper position from constant use.

If desired, :the forward edge 19 of the base gplate 3 '(see Figure 1) may be folded down and under to form a retaining tongue orspring clip20 to faciltate the attachment of the device :to the edge of the check-book.

Any suitable means may be employed for hclding the plate or perforating leaf e in .its depressed position. For this purpose I may employ an small clevis 21 with anextension at oneend-attached by a pivot pin 23 to the :upper sideof the plate or leaf 4 at its free edge 12, and this clevis, or clamp, may be :formed of a bent plate presenting two jaws 24 and 25, the latter of which may be bent on itsinner edge so as to forma lip26, producing a narrowed throat, or mouth 27 between the jaws. In this case the bent edge 19 is formed with a slight bulge 28 on its under-side -(see Figure 2), which operates as ahead for the lip 26 to snap over when the clamp is applied to hold the leaf 4 in its depressed position.

It. is obvious that if desired the means for puncturing the check-couldbe formed on the platen if'desired instead of on theopposing part that cooperates with the platen to produce the puncturingeffect.

d vhat I claim @is:

*1. A check protector having a base-plate with platen ez-iending transversely on the same, and having a perforating plate connected to an edge of the base-plate of resil- .eria-l and operating to maintain tseiormelly disposed in a curve with its convex side disposed toward the base-plate,

said perforating plate having a die with a plurality of rows of integral teeth struck down from the material of the same and projecting"toward the base-plate.-said perforatin plate operating when depressed at its free edge to engage the platen on a. contact line that moves progressively in'a direction from-the attached edges of saidplates toward their free edgesso that the rows of teeth 00- operate succession with the platen to perforate the check.

2. A check protector having a base-plate with a platen of relatively soft material mounted thereon and extendingtransversely and having a perforating plate connected to an edge of the base-plate, said perforating plate consisting of resilient material and operating to maintain itself normally disposed in a curve with its convex side disposed 3 toward the base-plate, said perforating plate having a die formed therein and consisting of a plurality of rows of integral pointed teeth struck down from the material of the perforating plate projecting toward the platen, said perforating plate operating when depressed at its free edge to engage the platen on a contact line that moves progressively in a direction from the attached edges of said plates toward their free edges so that the rows of teeth cooperate in succession with the platen to perforate the check.

3. A check protector having a base-plate with a platen of relatively soft material mounted thereon and extending transversely and having a perforating plate connected to an edge of the base-plate, said perforating plate consisting of resilient material and operating to maintain itself normally disposed in a curve with its convex side disposed toward the base-plate, said perforating plate having a die formed therein and consisting of a plurality of rows of integral pointed teeth struck down from the material of the perforating plate projecting toward the platen, said perforating plate operating when depressed at its free edge to engage the platen on a contact line that moves progressively in a direction from the attached edges of said plates toward their free edges so that the rows of teeth cooperate in succession with the platen to perforate the check, and means adjacent the free edge of the perforating plate for stiffening the same to facilitate imparting the depressing force to the said die.

4. A. check protector having a base-plate with a platen of relatively soft material mounted thereon and extending transversely and having a perforating plate connected to an edge of the base-plate, said perforating plate consisting of resilient material and operating to maintain itself normally disposed in a curve with its convex side disposed toward the base-plate, said perforating plate having a die formed therein and consisting of a plurality of rows of integral pointed teeth struck down from the material of the perforating plate projecting toward the platen, said perforating plate operating when depressed at its free edge to engage the platen on a contact line that moves progresively in a direction from the attached edges of said plates toward their free edges so that the rows of teeth cooperate in succession with the platen to perforate the check, and means for securing the free edges of the said plates together to hold the protector in its folded relation.

5. A check protector having a base plate with a platen extending transversely on thesame and having a perforating plate connected to an edge of the base plate of resilient material and operating to maintain itself normally disposed in a curve with its convex side disposed toward the base plate, said perforating plate having a die with a plurality of projections formed thereupon and extending toward the base plate, said perforating plate operating when depressed at its free edge to engage the platen on the contact line that moves progressively in a direction from the attached edges of said plates toward their free edges so that the projections cooperate in succession with the platen to perforate the check.

Signed at Los Angeles, Calif, this 6th day of December, 1928.

VICTOR H. SEVERY. 

